of Peter the one in his first Epistle the other in the latter and so be you contented with this present answer rashed vp in haste Fare ye hartily wel And comfort my William the good aged father by the grace of God which is in you Commende me to Iohn Eggenberge From Zuricke the 1. day of September An. 1527. FRom the first beginning of this whole booke and historie hitherto good reader thou hast hearde of many and sundry troubles much businesse in the church of Christe concerning the reformation of diuers abuses and great errors crept into the same namely in the Churche of Rome as appeareth by the doings of them in diuers and sundry places wherof mention hath bene made heretofore in this said historie For what godly man hath there bene wythin the space of these 500. yeares The corruption of the Sea of Rome continually cryed out against either vertuously disposed or excellently learned which hath not disprooued the misordred doings and corrupt examples of the See and Bishop of Rome from time to time vnto the cōming of this Luther Wherin this appeareth to me may also appeare no lesse to al godly disposed mē to be noted not without great admiration that seeing this foresaid Romish Bishop hath had great ennemies and gainsaiers continually from time to time both speaking working preaching and wryting against him yet notwithstanding neuer any could preuail before the comming of this man The cause whereof although it be secretely knowen vnto God and vnknowen vnto men yet so farre as men by cōiectures may suppose it may thus not vnlikely be thought That whereas other men before him speaking against the pomp pride whoredom and auarice of the Bishop of Rome charged him only or most specially with examples and maners of life Luther went further with hym charging him not wyth life but with his learning not with doings but with his doctrine not picking at the rine but plucking vp the roote not seeking the man but shaking his seate yea charging him with plaine heresie The Pope charged with heresie by Luther as preiudicial and resisting plainly against the bloud of Christ cōtrary to the true sense and direct vnderstanding of the sacred testament of Gods holy woord For whereas the foundation of our faith grounded vpon the holy scripture teacheth leadeth vs to be iustified onely by the worthines of Christ the onely price of his bloud The foundation of the Popes doctrine contrarye to Christen faith the Pope proceeding with a contrary doctrine teacheth vs otherwyse to seeke our saluation not by Christ alone but by the way of mennes meriting and deseruing by works Wherupon rose diuers sorts of orders religious sects amongst men some professing one thing and some an other euery man seeking his owne vnrighteousnes but few seking the righteousnes of him which is set vp of God to be our righteousnes redemption and iustification Martin Luther therefore vrging reducing things to the foundation and touchstone of the Scripture Iustification by faith reuiued by Luther opened the eyes of many which before were drowned in darknes Whereupon it can not be expressed what ioy comforte and consolation came to the hearts of men some lying in darknes and ignoraunce some wallowing in sinne some being in despaire some macerating them selues by woorkes and some presuming vppon their owne righteousnesse to beholde that glorious benefite of the greate libertie and free iustification set vp in Christ Iesus And briefly to speake the more glorious the benefite of this doctrine appeared to the world after long ignoraunce the greater persecution followed vppon the same And where the elect of God tooke most occasion of comfort and of saluation thereof the aduersaries tooke moste matter of vexation disturbance As commonly we see the true woord of God to bring with it euer dissention and perturbation and therefore truely it was sayde of Christ That he came not to send peace on earth but the swoorde Math. 10. And this was the cause why that after the doctrine and preaching of Luther so great troubles and persecutions followed in all quarters of the world Great persecution after the doctrine of Luther wherby rose great disquietnesse among the Prelates and many lawes and decrees were made to ouerthrowe the same by cruell handling of many good and Christian men Thus while authoritie armed wyth lawes and rigour did striue againste simple veritie lamentable it was to heare howe many poore men were troubled and went to wracke some tost from place to place some exiled out of the land for fear some caused to abiure some driuen to caues in woodes some racked wyth torment and some pursued to deathe wyth fagot and fire Of whom we haue nowe Christ willing in this hystorie following to entreat first begynning with certaine that suffered in Germanie then to returne to our owne stories and Martyrs here in England Henry Voes and Iohn Esch Friers Augustines IN the yeare of our Lorde 1523. two young menne were burnt at Bruxelles the one named Henry Uoes Two Fryers burned at Bruxelles being of the age of 24. yeares and the other Iohn Esch whych before had bene of the order of the Augustine Friers They were disgraded the first day of Iulie and spoiled of theyr friers weede at the suite of Egmondanus the Popes Inquisitour and the diuines of Louaine Egmondanus and Hochestratus doctors of Louain persecuters for that they would not retracte and deny their doctrine of the Gospell which the Papistes call Lutheranisme Theyr examiners were Hochestratus and other who demaunded of them what they did beleeue They sayde the bookes of the olde Testament and the newe wherein were contained the Articles of the Creede Then were they asked whether they beleued the decrees of the Councels and of the Fathers They sayde such as were agreeing to the Scripture Their examination they beleeued After thys they proceeded further asking whether they thought it any deadly sinne to transgresse the decrees of the fathers and of the bishop of Rome That said they is to be attributed onely to the precepts of God to binde the conscience of man or to loose it Wherein when they cōstantly persisted and would not turne they were condemned and iudged to be burned Then they beganne to geue thanks to God their heauenly father which had deliuered them through his great goodnes from the false and abhominable priesthoode had made of them priests of his holy order receiuing thē vnto him as a sacrifice of sweete odor Then there was a bill written which was deliuered vnto them to read opēly before the people to declare what faith and doctrine they helde The cause of their accusation Martirdōe The greatest error that they were accused of was that men ought to trust only in God for so much as men are liers and deceitful in all their words and deedes and therefore there ought no trust or
some other affirmed that shee was deceiued by a Tympanie or some other like disease to thinke her selfe with child and was not What became of Q. Maryes childe no man can tell some thought she was with childe and that it did by some chaunce miscarie or els that she was bewitched but what was the truth therof the Lord knoweth to whome nothing is secrete One thing of mine owne hearing and seeing I can not passe ouer vnwitnessed There came to me whom I did both heare and see one Isabell Malt a woman dwellyng in Aldersgate streete in Horne alley not farre from the house where this present booke was Printed who before witnes made this declaration vnto vs that she beyng deliuered of a maÌ„child vpoÌ„ Whitsonday in the mornyng whiche was the xi day of Iune an 1555. there came to her the Lord North and an other Lord to her vnknoweÌ„ dwellyng theÌ„ about old Fish streete demauÌ„dyng of her if she would part with her child and would sweare that she neuer knewe nor had no such child Whiche if she would her sonne they sayd should be well prouided for she should take no care for it with many fayre offers if she would part with the child After that came other womeÌ„ also of whoÌ„ one she sayd should haue bene the Rocker but she in no wise would let go her sonne who at y e writyng hereof being aliue called Timothe Malt was of the age of xiij yeares vpward Ex testimonio eiusdam puerperae Londinensis Thus much I say I heard of the woman her selfe What credite is to bee geuen to her relation I deale not withall but leaue it to the libertie of the Reader to beleue it they that list to them that list not I haue no further warrant to assure them The young Princes cradle Among many other great preparations made for the Queenes deliueraunce of childe there was a cradle very sumptuously and gorgeously trimmed vppon the whiche cradle for the child appointed these Uerses were written both in Latin and English Quam Mariae sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti Anglis incâ—lumem redde tuere rege The Child which thou to Mary O Lord of might hast send To Englandes ioy in health preserue Verses vpon the Cradle keepe and defend About this tyme there came ouer into England a certaine English booke geuing warnyng to English men of the Spanyardes and disclosing certaine close practises for recouery of Abbay landes which booke was called A warnyng for England Whereof ye shall vnderstand more God willyng when we come to the Spanish Inquisition So that by the occasion of this booke vppon the xiij day of this moneth came out a certaine Proclamation set forth in the name of the Kyng and Queene repealyng disanullyng all maner of bookes writteÌ„ or Printed whatsoeuer should touche any thyng the impayryng of the Popes dignitie whereby not onely much godly edification was hyndred but also great perill grew among the people The copy of which Proclamation here foloweth A Proclamation set out by the King and Queene for the restraining of all bookes and wrytings tending againg the doctrine of the Pope and his Churche WHere as by the Statute made in the seconde yeare of king Henrie the fourth concerning the repressing of heresies there is ordained and prouided a great punishment not only for the authours makers and wryters of bookes containing wicked doctrine and erroneous and hereticall opinions contrary to the Catholicke faith and determination of the holy Church likewise for their fautors supporters but also for such as shal haue or keepe any suche bookes or wrytings and not make deliuerie of them to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse or his Ministers wyth in a certaine time limited in the sayd Statute which Acte or Statute being by authoritie of Parliament of late reuiued Of this Acte or statute read before Pag. 507. was also openly proclaimed to the intent the subiectes of the realme vpon such Proclamation should the rather eschew the danger and penaltie of the sayde Statute and as yet neuerthelesse in moste partes of the Realme the same is neglected and little regarded The King and Queene our soueraigne Lord and Ladie A stiterunt reges terrae principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus Dominum Christum eius Psal. 2. therefore c. straightly charge and commaunde that no persone or persones of what estate degree or condition soeuer he or they be from hencefoorth presume to bring or conuey or cause to bee brought or conueied into this Realme any bookes wrytings or woorkes heereafter mentioned that is to saye anye booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette foorth by or in the name of Martine Luther or any booke or bookes wrytings or woorkes made or sette forth by or in the name of Oecolampadius Zwinglius Iohn Caluine Pomerane Iohn Alasco Bullinger Bucer Melancthon Bernardinus Ochinus Good 〈◊〉 pâ—â—â—hibited Erasmus Sarcerius Peter Martyr Hugh Latymer Robert Barnes otherwyse called Frier Barnes Iohn Bale otherwise called Frier Bale Iustus Ionas Iohn Hoper Myles Couerdal William Tyndal Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterburie William Turner Theodore Basill otherwise called Thomas Beacon Ihon Frith Roy and the booke commonly called Halles Chronicle Agaynst Haâ—le◠〈◊〉 or anye of them in the Latine toung Dutch toung English toung Italian toung or French toung or any other like booke paper wryting or woorke made printed or sette foorthe by any other persone or persones containing false doctrine contrarie and against the Catholicke faith and the doctrine of the Catholicke Churche And also that no person or persons presume to write What 〈◊〉 is here to kept 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 his sepulâ—chre and will he 〈◊〉 in spite oâ— his 〈◊〉 printe vtter sell reade or kepe anye or cause to bee wrytten printed vttered or kept anye of the sayde bookes papers woorkes or wrytings or any booke or bookes wrytten or printed in the Latine or English toung concerning the common seruice and administration sette foorth in English to be vsed in the Churches of this Realme in the time of king Edwarde the sixth commonly called the Communion booke or booke of common seruice and ordering of Ministers otherwise called The booke sette foorth by authoritie of Parliament for common prayer administration of the Sacramentes or to be vsed in the mother tounge wythin the Church of England but shall wythin the space of fifteene dayes nexte after the publication of this Proclamation bring or deliuer or cause the sayde bookes wrytinges and woorkes and euerye of them remaining in their custodies and keeping to be broughte and deliuered to the Ordinarie of the Diocesse where suche bookes woorkes or wrytinges be or remaine or to his Chauncellour or Commissaries without fraud coulour or deceite at the sayde Ordinaries will and disposition to be burnt or otherwise to be vsed or ordered by the sayde Ordinaries as by the Canons or spiritual lawes it is in that case
the let I neither send you spectacles the price of the Paraphrases nor thanks for your cheese as by the next that coÌ„meth I will God willyng send the premisses to you and a goodly Testament for Sir Thomas Hall which is at the bindyng But be not acknowen that I haue now written to you for so I haue prayed this bringer God be with vs and pray for me and abhorre not my rude scribling which if it were as well written as it is ment woulde deserue pardon Thus make I an ende imputing to the hastines of this bringer all blame which you may lay vnto me From the Temple this Sonday immediately after M. Latimers famous Sermon whiche this bringer as hee sayth did heare By your poorest friend Iohn Bradford It shall not be long God willyng but you shall both haue and heare from me Keepe with you Melancthons Common places for I haue an other ¶ Another letter of Maister Bradford to father Traues GRace mercy and peace from God the father through our Lord Iesus Christ with encrease of all manner godly knowledge and liuing bee with you and all your houshold now and euer Amen To excuse this my long silence within v. or vj. dayes after my like foolish letters writteÌ„ to you by Ioh. Mâ—sse it pleased God to send my M. hither to London whome as I lately tofore had aduertised by letters I mooued you know wherein and prayed him to discharge y e same or els I would submit my selfe c. Whereunto he answered that if the bookes would declare it he would satisfy c The bookes I shewed whereupon he promised as much as I could aske But beyng herein something more mooued then he had cause God be praysed therefore which of his meere good pleasure wrought it at tymes as I could I desired to know how and in what tyme he would discharge vs both He thinking me to be ouer curious herein was not therewith contented and hearyng me to alledge the vncertaintie of tyme and the feare of Gods iustice which oh gracious Lord graunt me to feele in deede as much as thou knowest good for me he aunswered me to be scrupulous and of a superstitious conscience for animalis homo non percipit ea quae sunt Dei and plainely sayde further that I shold not know nor by these words haue his head so vnder my girdle And wheÌ„ I shewed him that God witnessed with me I went about no suche thyng He sayd that there was no godly conscience seyng he promised afore the face of God to discharge me and to pay the thing but it ought so to be quieted And thus at dyuers sundry tymes moouing eftsoones to know of hym the way and tyme of discharging the debt and hauyng none other aunsweres then tofore I doubting worldly wisedome which vseth delayes to raigne in hym with this Mammon the which oh merciful God eradicate out of his hart mynd and all others I was somethyng more sharp and told hym non ego tamen sed gratia tua Domine I would obey God more then man the which hee lightly regardyng as seemed I departed and went to M. Latimer to haue had hym to haue brought me to my L. Protector whose grace than was purposed shortly to take his iourney to visite the Ports M. Latimer I say willed me to stay vntill his returne which will be not long tofore Easter In this meane tyme I bade my bedfellow my maisters sonne whom my M. had vsed as his instrument to mooue mee carnally for my M. discharged him of hys exhibitioÌ„ tellyng hym that he could not be able to keep eyther house or chyld for I purposed to vndoe both hym and all hys vntruly thou knowest good Lord and bade hym to take that as a warnyng that both he and his brethren should prouide for themselues as they could I bade I say my sayde bedfellow to shew my M. as of himself my further purpose which thyng when he knew so mooued feared him that he began somethyng to relent then made faire promises that looke what I would deuise that would he do I deuised but my deuises pleased hym not And thus but not vainly I trust as I now do with you but I knowe your gentlenes which euer hath borne with me I spended the tyme in which I haue bene silent to write nay bable to you And he departing out of LondoÌ„ tofore I knew did send me word by an other of his said sonnes not so giuen to the Gospell and a lyfe accordyng as my bedfellow and therefore more to be suspected for though pietas non est suspiciosa as I should thinke my selfe rather impius yet Christ bade vs to be prudeÌ„tes sicut serpentes this other brother I say told me that my M. would do all thyngs onely his fame and abilitie preserued quid prodest totum mundum lucrari animae vero iacturam facere And with the sayd brother my M. sent me a little billet also wherein he confessed that he was contented within 12. months to deliuer to my hands the whole money which bill I thinking not so good as it might haue bene haue deuised an other and haue sent it downe to hym in the countrey with request that he will seale and signe it For thus M. Latymer thinketh sufficieÌ„t but as yet I heare not of it doubting worldly wisedome which was the whore that ouercame Sampson y t mooued Dauid to slay Urias that brought wyse Salomon to idolatry that crucified Christ the which moued mee to perpetrate hoc facinus the whiche worketh in my maisters hart hauyng higher place there than Timor Dâ—mini What say I there ye ye with me it sitteth in the holy place the Lord deliuer vs doubtyng I say worldly wisedome I remaine in that same state now for this matter though in worse for my soule which is more lamented pray therfore I beseech you pray with me and for me that I may do so earnestly than I was in at my last writyng vnto you And as I than was purposed so I doubt not graunt it Lord but that I shall perseuere if in the meane season I shall not heare from my M. accordingly Thus I haue like my selfe folishly but truely declared vnto you in many babling wordes which wit if I had it would haue shortly and briefly comprehended Arrogant nay Gods working vnthankfull wretch my workyng in this matter which is and was the onely cause as I now do I troubled you not afore to the intent I might aduertise you some certaintie in this thyng And though silence had bene much better then this foolish pratyng yet your fatherly kyndnesse euer towardes me in expectyng from you a correction as I haue herein geuen cause may thogh not to you yet to me be profitable In hope whereof I proceed in requiring you to continue your remembraunce of mee a most vnkynde wretche to God and you in your prayers with the almighty mercyfull Lorde that I maye more regard
the person and credite of Syr Thomas Moore The reasons of Syr Thomas More refuted Now as touching his reasons whereas he comming in with a flimme flamme of a horse mylne or a mylne horse in his owne termes I speake thinketh it probation good enough because he coulde not see him taken by the sleeue which murdered Hunne agaynst these reasons vnreasonable of his I alledge all the euidences and demonstratioÌ„s of the history aboue prefixed to be coÌ„sidered and of al indifferent men to be peased First how he was founde hanging with his countenance fayre with his bearde and head fayre kemmed hys bonet right set on his head with his eyne and mouth fayre closed without any driueling or spurging His body being taken downe The circumstaÌ„ces of Hunnes hanging considered was found loose whiche by hanging coulde not be his necke broken and the skinne thereof beneath the throate where the gyrdle went frette and faced away his gyrdle notwithstanding being of silke and so double cast about the staple that the space of the gyrdle betweene the staple and his necke with the residue also which went about his neck was not sufficieÌ„t for his head to come out His handes moreouer wroung in the wristes his face lyppes chinne doublet and shyrt coller vnstayned with any bloud when as notwithstaÌ„ding in a maner somewhat beyond the place where he did hang a great quantitye of bloud was found Also whereas the staple wheron he hanged was so that he could not climbe thereto without some meane there was a stoole set vp vpon the bolster of a bed so tickle that with the least touch in the world it was ready to fal And how was it possible that Hunne might hang himselfe vpon that staple the stoole so standing Besides the confession moreouer of Charles Iosephs owne mouth to Iulian Littell of Robert Iohnson Iohn Spalding the Belringer Peter Turner and others All whiche testimonyes and declarations being so cleare and vndeniable may suffice I trust any indifferent man to see where the truth of this case doth stand vnlesse maister Moore being a geÌ„tleman of Utopia Vtopia Morl. peradueÌ„ture after some strauÌ„ge guise of that country vseth to cary his eyes not in his head but in his affection not seing but where he liketh nor beleuing but what him listeth Finally where Sir Thomas Moore speaking of himselfe so concludeth that he hearing the matter what well might be sayde yet could not finde contrary but Hunne to be guilty of his owne death so in as many wordes to answere him agayne I perusing and searching in the storye of Richard Hunne what may wel be searched cannot but maruell with my selfe either with what darcknes the eyes of maister Moore be dared not to see that is so playne or els with what conscience he would dissemble that shame can not deny And thus by the way to the Dialogues of Syr Thomas Moore Thirdly touching the Dialogues of Alen Cope which had rather the Bishops Chauncellor and officers to be recounted among theues and murderers Aunswere to Alanus Copus for Richarde Hunne then Hunne to be numbred among the martyrs I haue herein not much to say because himselfe sayth but litle and if he had sayd lesse vnlesse his grouÌ„d were better it had made as little matter But forasmuch as he saying not much sendeth vs to seeke more in Moore so with like breuity agayne I maye sende him to William Tindall to shape him an aunswere Yet notwithstanding least Cope in saying something shoulde thinke Hunnes innocent cause to lack some frends which will not or dare not aduenture in defence of truth somewhat I will answere in this behalfe And first touching this murder of Hunne not to be his owne wilfull acte but the deede of others HuÌ„ne murdered not by himselâ—e but by others besides the demonstrations aboue premised to sir Thomas Moore now to M. Cope if I had no other euidences but onely these two I would require no more That is his cap founde so streight standing vpon his head and the stoole so tottering vnder his feet For how is it I will not say like but how is it possible for a man to hang himselfe in a silcken gyrdle double cast about a staple in suche shortnesse Not possible that Hunne so hangyng shoulde hang himselfe that neyther the space of the knot coulde well compasse his head about and yet hauing his cap so streight set vpon his head as his was Again how is it possible or can it be imagined for him to hang himselfe climing vp by a stoole which had no stay for him to stand vpon but stood so tickle that if he had touched the same neuer so litle it must needes haue fallen But Cope being something more prouideÌ„t in this matter seemeth to exceede not altogether so farre as doth M. Moore For he vnderstanding the case to be ambiguous doubtfull so leaueth it in suspeÌ„se neither determining that Hunne did hange himselfe and yet not admitting that hee died a martyr Cope denyeth Richard Hunne to dye a Martyr no more then they which are quelled by theues murderers in high way sides Well be it so as Cope doth argue that they which dye by the handes of feloÌ„s and murderers in theeuish waies be no martyrs yet notwithstanding this his owne similitude coÌ„paring the Bishops Chauncellour officers to theeues and murderers doth graunt at least that Hunne dyed a true man although no Martyr Now if the cause be it and not the paine that maketh a Marâ—yr in pondering the cause why Hunne was slayne we shall finde it not altogether like to the cause of them whiche perishe by Theeues and Robbers The cause not the paiâ— maketh a Martyr For such commonly because of theyr goodes and for some worldlye gayne to be sought by theyr death are made away beyng true men may peraduenture haue y e reward although not the name of Martyrs Whereas this mannes death being wrought neyther for money nor any such temporall lucre to redounde to his oppressors as it hath an other cause so may it haue an other name and deserue to be called by the name of Martyrdome Like as Abel being slayne by wicked Cain albeit he had no opinion of religion articulate agaynst him The cause of Abels death of HuÌ„nes compared but of spite onely and of malice was made away yet notwithstanding is iustly numbred among the Martyres so what let to the contrary but that Hunne also with him may be reckoned in the same societye seeing the cause wherefore they both did suffer proceedeth together out of one fountayne And what moreouer if a man should cal Naboth who for holding his right inheritance was slayne a Martyr what great iniury should he do eyther to the name or cause of the persoÌ„ worthy to be carped Agaynst Thomas Becket yet know M. Cope no speciall article of fayth was layd wherefore he dyed And why theÌ„ do you bestow vpon him
standing vpon the bolster by the Chauncellours Murrey gowne round the day after vpon the stockes the waxe candle fayre put out furthermore by the verdict of the inquest by the attestatioÌ„ of the witnesses sworne by the Crowners iudgement by the assent of the Parliament by the kynges Letters assigned and broade Seale of restitution of hys goodes and finally by the confession of the partyes themselues whiche murthered him c. and yet thinketh Cope to make men such fooles hauing theyr true wits to weene yet that Hunne did hange himselfe after so many demonstrations and euidences to the contrary as in euery parte of this storye may appeare And though it were as it was vnlike and hard for a man to beleue that D. Horsey a man of such age dignity and learning woulde so much forgette himselfe to attempt such a villany yet so great is the deuil sometimes with man where GOD permitteth that he worketh greater thinges then this and more vncredible For who would haue thought it like that Cain woulde euer haue killed Abell his owne naturall Brother whiche was more then a Byshoppes Chauncellour to kyll a Citizen yet so he did Manifest vntruth in Cope And where Cope pretendeth the causes of anger and desperation whereby Hunne did hang hymselfe how is it like or who did euer heare An other vntruth noted in Cope a man beinge in such extremity of desperation to stand first trimming himselfe and kemming hys head before he goe to hang himselfe No lesse credite is also to be geuen to that whiche followeth in the same Cope where he sayth that Richard Hunne being in prison was conuict of heresye By the which word conuict if he meane that Hunne was proued an heretique that is false for that he being at Fulham examined vpon certâ—yne Articles both denyed the Articles to be true as they were obiected and also if they were true yet he submitted himselfe to theyr fauourable correction and therefore not standing obstinately in the same coulde not be proued an heretique And if by this terme conuict he meane that he was by sentence cast so was Hunne neuer cast by any sentence for an heretique so long as he lyued but after his death when hee coulde nothing aunswere for himselfe Cope hudleth vp vntruthes And because this vntrueth should not goe wythout his felow see howe he hudleth vp one false narration in the necke of another affirming moreouer that Hunne was cast in prison An other vntruth noted in Cope before he entred his suite of Premunire agaynst the Priest Which is vtterly false and vntrue both disagreeing to other storyes and also refuted by the words of Syr Thomas Moore his owne authour who reporteth that Hunne insuing his Premunire agaynst the Priest being set vpon a glory of victorye made his boasting among his frendes that he trusted to haue the matter long spoken of and to be called Hunnes case Haec Morus Whereby it appeareth Tho. Morus Dial. Lib. 3. that Hunne was not then in prison clapt vp for heresy but was abroad seeking counsell among the Lawyers and boasting among his friendes as writeth More Lib. 3. Dial. After this heape of vntruthes aboue passed An other vntruth in Cope noted adde yet further an other copy of Copes false dealing who seeking all corners and euery where how to picke matter agaynst my former history chargeth me with arrogancy as though I tooke so highly vpon me to vndoe derogate the kinges acts and iudgements in the acquitall of D. Horsey If it so pleased the king to acquite D. Horsey by his gracious pardon I am not agaynst it neither do I deny but the king so did neyther do I say nor euer did but the king of his supereminent prerogatiue may so do wherein then do I vnrippe or loose the kinges actes here done concluded Answere to Copes cauilâ—tion But if the question be this whether D. Horsey with his coniurates did kill Richard Hunne or no then do I say that the pardon of the king doth not take away the veritye of the crime coÌ„mitted but remoueth away the penalty of the law deserued and so if the life of them was saued by way of pardon as M. Moore himselfe seemeth not to denye theÌ„ was it not through theyr innocency clayming iustice that they escaped but through petition standing neede of mercy For what needeth pardon where iustice absolueth yea who sueth pardon but in so doing must yeld himselfe guilty for pardon neuer commeth lightly eyther with God or man except the crime first be confessed Wherfore if they escaped by iustice as Cope pretendeth The escaping of Horsey came rather of fauour then of his demerites how then doth M. Moore say they were saued by pardon And if they escaped by pardon how then doth Cope say they were not guilty And be it admitted that the sentence of the kinges Attorney in the kinges name did absolue them as vnguiltye according as the king was then informed by the Cardinall and suite of frendes yet afterwarde the king being better informed by the Parliament and the truth better knowne detested and abhorred their fact and yet continued his pardon vnto theÌ„ as by the kings owne actes and his broad seale appeared yet remayning in recordes to be seene And as touching my former historyes set soth in latine and in English which speake first of the foremanne of the quest then of the kinges Attorney to be labored with some giftes or mony as Cope hath yet proued no vntruth in my saying so lesse can he finde any repugnaunce or disagreeing in the same For he that speaketh of bribing first of one person and then afterward of another where both might be bribed together is not contrary I thinke to himselfe but rather doth comprehend that in the one booke whiche he before leaueth out in the other and yet no great repugnaÌ„ce either in the one or in the other seing y t which is sayd may be verified in both as it is no other like but in this matter it was For how is it otherwise like or possible but that there must nedes be found some priuy packing in this matter seeing after such euidence found and brought in by the Crowners inquest and Iury of 24. chosen persons after so many marks and tokens of the murder so cleare and demonstrable and layd forth so playne to the eies of all the world that no manne coulde deny or not see the same yet through the handling of the foresayde Attorney and of the foreman of the quest the murderers were borne out confessed to be no murderers If such bolstring out of matters and parciality were then suche a rare case in the Realme of England in the time of Cardinal Wolsey who then vnder the king and in the kinges name did what he list then let it seeme vntrue in my former stories that I haue writteÌ„ And yet the words of my story which Cope carpeth at so much
and taking of farmes that it putteth hys minde from all goodnesse By whych wordes it appeared sayd they that hee was a Knowen man Item that Robert Bartlet speaking to Hardings wife sayd he had thought to haue called William Tilseworth false heretique but now hee was better aduised Item that they vsed the lectures and readings of that companie ¶ Thys Ro. Bartlet Richarde his brother first being sworne and yet confessing nothing before the Byshop at last were conuicted by witnes as aboue appeareth and noted therefore of periurie Wherfore incurring into greater daunger they were constrained at their nexte examination to vtter them selues and confesse what they had both done and sayde that is For reading scripture in Englishē that the sayde Robert had red vnto Richarde hys brother a parcel of scripture beginning thus Iames the seruaunt of God to the xij kindes c. Item for that he hard Williā Tilseworth say that Images of saintes were but stocks and stones and dead things and that he taught the same to his brother Richarde and concealed the wordes of William Tilsewoorthe Item for that he partly beleeued Thomas Mastall teaching him that the true presence of Christ was not in the Sacrament and likewise of Images and Pilgrimage Item for receyuing the Communion at Easter without shrift c. Robert Bartlet was brought to examinatiō caused by his othe to detect Rich. Bartlet his brother The crime wherein Roberte Bartlet appeached hys brother Rich. was this because he said hys brother Rich. had beene muche conuersant wyth Thurstane Litlepage The Brother detecteth the Brother had learned of hym the counsailes and secreates of those men Also that hee had learned of hym some of the Epistle of S. Iames thus beginning Iames the seruaunte of God to the twelue kindes c.  Isabel Bartlet his wife The cause wherein Roberte Bartlet did detecte his wife was thys The husband detecteth the wife that when the Byshops seruaunte was come for her husband she vttered these wordes saying Alas he was now an vndone man and she but a dead woman The brother accuseth the sister Furthermore y e said R. being demanded of y e Bishop whether he knewe Isabell hys wyfe to bee of the secte of heretiques before hee marryed her sayde yea Beeing asked againe if shee hadde not ben of that sect whether then he would haue maried her he graunted the same likewise The foresaid Ro Bartlet was broght to examination caused by hys othe to detect Agnes Wellis his sister Furthermore y e said R. Bart. detected his owne sister in that hee hadde twise instructed her not to worshyppe Images and also hadde taughte her in the Epistle of S. Iames. Elizabeth Deane wife of Richarde Deane of Westwicam Emme Tilseworth wife of Wil-Tilseworth William Grinder his wife Iohn Scriuener Alexandera Mastal w. Tilsworth Thurstane Litlepage Iohn Bartlet his brother The sayde Roberte Bart. detected also these to bee of the number of Knowen men for that they resorted many times together reading and conferringe amonge themselues talking againste worshippinge of Images Pilgrimage And if any came in amongste them whiche was not of theyr side thē they wold saye no more but keepe all silence c. Rich. Bartlet by hys oth was cōstrained to detect Agnes wellys wife of Iohn Wellys his sister This Agnes was detected of her brother in 3. poyntes The brother accuseth his sister Firste for learning the Epistle of Saint Iames in English of Thurstan Litlepage Secondly for not beleeuing the bodily presence in the Sacrament Thirdly for speakyng against worshippyng of Images and goyng on Pilgrimages  Olde father Bartlet his father This Richarde Bertlet also in hys confessyon sayde of his Father that he was a better manne then hee was taken for For the other daye there came a manne to him as hee was threashing and sayde God speede father Bertlet yee worke sore yea sayde hee The Popes God almightie threshed out of the strawe I threshe God almighty out of the strawe ¶ Against thys Agnes Wellys brought and examined before the Bishop were ministred these interrogatories which for certaine causes I thought here to inserte for our posteritie to note and consider and they are these as foloweth * Articles ministred to Agnes Wellys 1 WHether shee knewe that certaine of the Paryshe of Amersham were conuented before William Smith late Byshoppe of Lincolne for heresie Articles ministred against Agnes Wellys 2 Item whether she knew that certaine of them so conuented before the Bishop for heresie did erre in the Sacrament of the altar or in other Sacraments and what errours they were and wherein 3 Item whether she knewe anye other to be susspect of the same heresie or sect beside them of Amersham so conuented who they were and how many 4 Item whether shee had bene of the same company or sect or opinion with them which were conuented before the Bishop for heresie and if she were what company she vsed and whose 5 Whether she was at any time conuersant with Thurstane Litlepage and if shee were how ofte she had bene in his company howe what time in what place who else were present for what causes and whether she knew him to be suspected for heresie 6 Item whether shee knewe and had beene conuersant wyth Alexander Mastall and if shee were howe when in what place who were present for what causes and whether shee knewe him suspected for heresie 7 Item whether she was euer detected to the office of Willi. Smith late Bishop of Lincolne at what time or since the time that Litlepage and Mastall were conuented before the Byshop for heresie and whether shee was then called and conuented before the Bishop for heresie or not 8. Item whether she had bene present or is now noted had holden or reputed or diffamed to be of the same sect with Thurstan Litlepage or other conuicted of heresie and whether she be or hath bene nominated for a Knowen woman among them 9 Item whether she hath ben present at any time at the readings or conferrings betweene Thurstane Litlepage and other conuicts 10 Item whether Thurstane Litlepage did euer teache her the Epistle of Sainte Iames For readyng the scripture in Englishe or the Epistles of Saint Peter or Paule in English and whether shee hath repeated oft times the sayde Epistle of saint Iames vnto the sayde Thurstane in the presence of Richard Bartlet her brother 11 Item whether Richarde Bartlet her brother dyd teache her at any time the Epistle of S. Iames and if he did howe oft and in what place 12 Item whether shee hadde beene instructed by Thurstane Litlepage or by any other in the foresayde secte that in the Sacrament of the aultare was not the true body of Christe but onely the substaunce of bread 13 Item whether shee hadde bene instructed by Thurstane Litlepage or any other that Pilgrimage was not to be vsed nor the Images
honour which notoriously will be disteined The 3. cause if they which most excell in nobility and authority among the Germaines shall not bend all theyr power to expell these heresyes First for that they shall appeare to degenerate from theyr progenitors who being present at the condemnatioÌ„ of Iohn Hus of other heretickes are sayd some of theÌ„ with theyr owne hands to haue led Iohn Hus to the fire Secondly for that they or the greater part of theÌ„ approuing with theyr authority * This edict of the Emperor aboue touched pag. 827. was deuised and set out not knowing to diuers of the Princes there And semeth chiefly to be brought about by the Pope and his flatterers about him Looke more hereof in the story of Sledan Lib. 3. the emperiall edict set forth of late in coÌ„demnatioÌ„ of M. Luther now except they shall folow the execution of y e same shall be noted inconstant or may be thought to fauor the same seing it is manifest that they may easily exterminate him if they were disposed The fourth cause is the iniury wrought by Luther to them their parentes The 4. cause and progenitors for as much as their fathers progenitors and themselues also haue alwayes holden the same fayth which the catholick church of Rome hath appoynted contrary to which fayth Luther with his sectaryes now doeth holde saying that many thinges are not to be beleued which theyr foresaid aunceters haue holden to be of fayth it is manifest therfore that they be condeÌ„ned of Luther for infidels and hereticks and so consequeÌ„tly by Luthers doctrine all theyr foreelders progenitors which haue deceased in this our fayth be in hell for errour in fayth importeth damnation The fift cause to moue them is that they should wel aduise consider the end The 5. reason or cause whereunto all these Lutherians do teÌ„d * The doctrine of Luther tendeth against the vsurped power of the Sea of Rome Ergo the doctrine of Luther dissolueth all obedience due to Magistrates This consequent is to be denied for the power of Magistrates is of God and he that resisteth them resisteth God So is not the vsurped power of the Pope which is that vnder the shadow of Euangelicall liberty they may abolish all superiority and power For although at the first beginning they pretended onely to adnul and represse our power ecclesiasticall as being falsely tyrannously vsurped agaynst the Gospell yet for as much as liberty is all theyr foundation and pretence by the which liberty the seculer power and magistrates can not binde men by any commaundementes be they neuer so iust or so reasonable * If the Pope doe say that no preceptes of Magistrates do oblige vnder paine of mortall sinne he sayth not true if hee say that Luther so teacheth he belyeth Luther who teacheth al men to be subiects vnto Magistrates no man more to obey theÌ„ vnder paine of mortall sinne it is manifest that theyr scope is to enfeeble and infringe as much or more the seculer state also although couertly they pretend to salue it to the end that when the seculer Princes shall beleue this theyr working not to be directed against them but onely agaynst the vsurped domination of the church and churchmeÌ„ then the laity which commonly hath bene alwayes agaynst men of the Church holding with them shall suffer the Church-men to be deuoured Which done no doubt but * Who so coÌ„sidereth the doctrine of Luther De Libertate Christiana shal finde this to be a false slaunder For how is it like that he meaneth any rebellion who describing a Christian calleth him a seruant and an vnderling to all men they will afterward practise the like vpon the secular Princes and potestates which now they attempt agaynst our ecclesiasticall iurisdiction The sixte cause to mooue and perswade them agaynst Luther is this for them to consider the fruites which folow of that sect The 6. cause as slaunders offences disturbaunce robberyes murders * The cause why the Pope doth charge the Lutherians with sedition dyd ryse vpon this because one Franciscus Sickyngus a valiant man and a great fauourer of Luther dyd warre agaynste the Archbyshop of Triers for 〈◊〉 two certain persons froÌ„ 〈◊〉 which should haue 〈◊〉 and by his meanes did not seditions dissentions which this sect hath and dayly doth styrre vp through whole Germany Also blasphemyes * As for sclaunderous words 〈◊〉 tauntes with what face 〈◊〉 Pope charge Luther being 〈◊〉 so impudent and bytter as in 〈◊〉 his present letter is manifest to 〈◊〉 seene wherein he sheweth himâ—â—â—â— in his own colours what he is slaunderous wordes scoffing iestes and bitter tauntes whiche are euer in theyr mouthes Agaynst which vnles that they shall finde a present remedy it is to be feared least the desolation of Gods wrath will fall vpon Germany being so diuided or rather vpoÌ„ the Princes of Germany who hauing the sword geuen of God into theyr hands for the suppression of malefactors suffer such enormities amongst theyr subiectes Ier. 48. Cursed is he sayth the Prophet which doth the worke of the Lorde negligently and holdeth backe his sworde from the bloud of wicked doers The seuenth reason is The 7. cause or reason that the princes should consider how Luther vseth the same way of seducing the people of Christ as hath the venimous vyper * If the doings properties of Mahumet be rightly considered 〈◊〉 should be found so aptly to resemâ—lâ— hym as the pope him self He decâ—â—neth from the word of God seâ—teth vp an other lawe so doeth 〈◊〉 Pope Hee killeth and sleyeth 〈◊〉 contrary part so doth the Pope He holdeth Saluation by workes of 〈◊〉 law so doth the Pope And if Mahumet giue liberty of flesh so 〈◊〉 not Luther but the Pope both â—â—keth it and also dispenseth with 〈◊〉 same Mahumet would not haue 〈◊〉 Religion reasoned vpon no 〈◊〉 will the Pope Briefly as the 〈◊〉 Mahumet is deuided into many suâ—dry sorts of Religion and of Religâ—ous meÌ„ so hath the sect of the pope hys Friers Monks Nunnes Hermâ—â— and other swarmes of an infinite varietie Mahumet practised in deceiuing so many thousands of soules in permitting to them the libertye of those thinges which flesh desireth and afterward in exempting them from such thinges as be more sharp in the law but that Luther a litle more temperately handleth the matter whereby he may deceiue more effectually For Mahumet geueth licence to haue many wiues and to diuorce and mary other at their pleasure This Luther to drawe vnto him the fauor of nunnes monks and priests such as be lasciuious in flesh preacheth that vowes of perpetuall continencye be vnlawfull much lesse to be obligatory and therfore permitteth vnto theÌ„ that they may mary forgetting by the way what the Apostle writeth of youÌ„g widowes saying 1. Tim. 5. That when they waxe wanton agaynst Christ then will they marrye hauing
sayd Vengeance is myne and I will punish Rom. 12. And for so much as he was a very leane man he added thys moreouer saying It is all one for shortly I must haue forsaken thys skin which already scarsely hangeth to my bones I know well that I am a mortall and a corruptible worme and haue nothing in me but corruption I haue long time desired my latter day haue made my request that I might be deliuered out of this mortall body to be ioyned with my Sauiour Christ. I haue deserued through my manifold sinnes committed agaynst my Sauior Christ my crosse and my Sauiour Christ hath borne the crosse and hath died vpon the crosse and for my part I will not glory in any other thing but onely in the crosse of Iesus Christ. There were present by This blessed Martyr drowned certayne naughtye persons which tould not endure to heare this godly exhortatiō but made a signe vnto the hangman to cast him down into the riuer After he was throwne downe he moued by a certayne space in the water in such sort that the riuer whereinto he was cast was redde with bloud This was a certayne signe and token that innocent bloud was that daye shed They which were there present beholding that whiche had happened The water miraculously couloured with bloud where he was drowned were greatly amazed and astonyed cōsidering with themselues what the stayning of the water with the bloud should signify Euery man returned home pēsiue and sad maruelling at the cruel deed that was done that day notwithstanding no man durst open his mouth to speake one word because that all thinges were exercised with such cruelty This was done in the towne of Ensissheim an 1525. These thinges I did vnderstand by one which did behold them with his eyes The Lord of his great grace be mercifull vnto vs and forgeue vs our sinnes Ex Oecolam Such was the wickednes then of those dayes and yet is still that who so euer was perceiued to fauour the Gospel or any thing to dislike the doctrine of the popes church he was hated and despited of the Rulers Lawiers and al other Papistes through the whole countrey about but especially of priestes monks and friers And though the life of the Gospellers were neuer so sound vpright yet such was the hatred and malice of the Popes frendes agaynste them that they neuer ceased to seek all occasiōs and deuise matters how to bring them to death It so happened a litle before this present time that there was a commotion of the rude and rusticall people of the country rising in armour inordinately agaynst theyr Rulers to the great disturbance of the whole country of Germany no lesse to theyr owne destruction of whom were slayn aboue 20000. At length when this rebellion was appeased and all things quiet such as were the popes frēds to worke theyr malice agaynst the Gospell tooke occasion thereby not long after to accuse and entangle such as they knew to be Gospellers Protestantes And although the sayd Gospellers were neuer so inculpable cleare from al rebellion yet that sufficed not for causes were made false witnesses brought corrupt Iudges suborned to condemne the innocent many were put to death theyr cause neither being heard nor knowne By reason whereof a great nūber of good innocent Christians were miserably brought to theyr end and martyrdome In the number of whome was this poore man also whose story by Oecolampadius is thus described ¶ An other history of a certayne man of the country wrongfully put to death collected by the sayd Iohn Oecolampadius Ex Ioan. Occolampadio THere was sayth he a certayne manne of the countrey which in my iudgement was a good man and louer of iustice and a mortall enemye of all the cruell exactions of the Gentlemen which oppressed the poore people Thys man after the tumult and commotion of the countrey was appeased was grieuously vexed and tormented because he had cryed Alarme when as a great number of horsemen raunged about the countrey to seeke out those which had bene the authours of that sedition This poore man was taken by pollicy so vpholden with fayre promises that they made him cōfesse whatsoeuer they requyred He thinking that they would not haue put him to death was cast in prison wheras he was long time deteined well cherished to take away all suspition from him but after he had taried a long time in prison they put him to the Pinbank laying diuers and many grieuous offences to his charge where they kept him hanging in the trusse of the corde The trusse of the corde is a certaine hanging vp by the handes behinde hauing a waightie stone fastened at their feete the space of sixe houres hanging a great stone fastened at hys feete The sweat that dropped from his body for very payne and anguish was almost bloud In this distresse he cryed out pitifully but all that could not once moue the tormenters hartes When as all the power strength in his body beganne to fayle him with great violence they let him fall downe There this poore man lay euen as a stocke not mouing any part or member of his body but a little drawing his breath which was a token that there was some life in him Here the tormenters were in great doubt what to do with the man whom they sought by al meanes to destroy in what place they might put him that he should not die of that torment Amongest them there was one which brought vineger and rose water and rubbing him therewithall they dyd somewhat recouer him After that they had caused hym to eate and drinke such as they had prouided for him they let him downe into a deepe dungeon where he could see neyther Sunne nor Moone All this was done to the intent to put him to more torment when he had somewhat recouered his strength agayne There they let him continue xviij dayes after which time they brought him agayne to examination propoūding certaine articles vnto him whiche he constantly denyed They deuised diuers and sundry kindes of tormentes to the intent they might euen of force extorte something of this poore man which might seeme woorthy of death yet for all that they were fayne to depart without theyr purpose The xx day after these tyrauntes hyred a hangman a man sure worthy of his office whiche lefte no kinde of cruelty vnpractised The innocent man againe tormented Yet did he misse of his purpose also and was constrained to leaue his cruelty and to pronounce euē with his own mouth that the man was innocēt in that he had so constantly endured so many horrible and grieuous tormentes Yet these tyrauntes came agayne the fourth time False witnes suborned two witnesses agaynst him thus cōcluding that he was worthy of death because he had cried Alarme after the truice was taken woulde haue moued a new sedition The day was appointed
iustifying these are to be remooued and separated a sonder the lawe from the Gospel and faith from workes Otherwise in the person that is iustified and also in order of doctrine they ought coÌ„monly to goe necessarily together Therfore where soeuer any question or doubt riseth of saluation or our iustifying before God there the law al good works must be vtterly excluded and stand apart Grace free Promise simple Faith alone that grace may appeare free the promise simple and that faith may staÌ„d alone Which faith alone without law or workes worketh to euery man particularly his saluation through mere promise and the free grace of God This worde particularly I adde Particularly for the particulare certifying of euery mans hart priuately and peculiarly that beleueth in Christ. For as the body of Christ is the cause efficient of the redemption of the whole world in generall so is faith the instrumentall cause The body of Christ is the efficient cause of our redemption in generall Faith is the instrumental cause of euery mans particular saluation by which euery man applieth the sayde body of Christ particularly to his owne saluation So that in the action and office of iustification both law workes here be vtterly secluded and exempted as things hauing nothing to doe in this behalfe The reason is this for seing that all our redemption vniuersally springeth only froÌ„ the body of the sonne of God crucified then is there nothing that can stande vs in steade but that onely wherewith thys bodye of Christ is apprehended Now for somuch as neither the law nor works but faith onely is the thing which apprehendeth the body and death of Christ Note the obiecte of faith Faith with her obiecte onely saueth A similitude beâ—tweene the brasen Serpente and Christes bodye therfore faith onely is that matter which iustifieth euery soule before God thorough the strength of that obiect which it doth apprehend For the obiect onely of our faith is the body of Christ like as the brasen Serpent was the obiecte onely of the Israelites looking and not of their handes working by the strength of which obiect through the promise of God immediatly proceeded health to the beholders So the body of Christ being the obiecte of our faithe striketh righteousnesse to our soules not through working but beleuing onely Thus you see howe faith being the onely eye of our soule Faith is only the eye of the soule which â—â—â—keth to Christ. standeth alone with her obiecte in case of iustifying but yet neuerthelesse in the body she standeth not alone for besides the eye there be also handes to worke feete to walke eares to heare and other members moe euery one conuenient for the seruyce of the body and yet there is none of them all that can see but onely the eye So in a christian mans life and in order of doctrine ther is the law there is repentance there is hope charitie and dedes of charitie all which in life and in doctrine are ioyned necessarily do concurre together and yet in the action of iustifying there is nothing els in man that hath any parte or place but onely Fayth apprehending the obiect which is the body of Christ Iesus for vs crucified in whom consisteth all the worthines and fulnes of our saluation by faith that is by our apprehending and receauyng of him according as it is wrytten Iohn 1. Whosoeuer receiued him he gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God euen all such as beleued in his name c. Also Esay 53. And this iust seruaunt of mine in the knowledge of him shall iustifie many c. Argument Da. Apprehending and receauing of Christ onely maketh vs iustified before God As many as receaued him to them he gaue power c. â—ohn 1. And â—e by the knâ—wâ—â—dge of him shall iustifie many c. Esay 53. Iohn 1. ti Christ onely is apprehended and receaued by Faith si Ergo faith onely maketh vs iustified before God Argument Ba Iustification commeth onely by apprehending and receiuing of Christ. Esay 53. ro The lawe and workes do nothing pertaine to the apprehending of Christ. co Ergo the law and workes pertaine nothing to Iustification Argument Ce Nothing which is vniust of it selfe can iustifie vs before God or helpe any thing to our iustifying All our righteousnes is as filthy cloutes Esay 64. sa Euery worke we do is vniust before God Esay 54. re Ergo no worke that we do can iustifie vs before God nor helpe any thing to our iustifying Argument Ca If workes could any thing further our iustification theÌ„ should our works some thing profit vs before God When â—e haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruantes Luke 17. Without me can ye do nothing Iohn 15. me No workes doe the best we can doe profite vs before God Luke 17. stres Ergo no workes that we doe can any thynge further our iustification Argument Ba All that we can do w t God is only by Christ. Ihon. 15. ro Our workes and merites be not Christe neyther anye part of him co Ergo our workes merits can do nothing with God Argument Da That which is the cause of condemnation cannot be the cause of iustification The lawe worketh anger Rom. 4. ri The law is the cause of condemnation Rom. 4. j. Ergo it is not the cause of iustification A consequent We are quit and deliuered from the law Rom. 7. Now are we quitte and deliuered from the law being dead to that wherein we were once holden Rom. 7. Ergo we are not quâ—t and deliuered by the law Forsomuch therfore as the truth of the Scripture in expresse words hath thus included our saluation in faith onely we are enforced necessarily to exclude all other causes and meanes in our Iustification and to make this difference betwene the lawe the Gospel betwene faith and works affirming with the Scripture word of God that the lawe condemneth vs our works do not auaile vs and that faith in Christ onely iustifieth vs. And thys difference and distinction ought diligently to be learned and retained of all christians especially in conflict of conscience betweene the law and the gospel faith and works grace and merites promise condition Gods free election and mans freewil So that the lyght of the free grace of God in our saluation may appeare to all consciences to the immortal glory of Gods holy name Amen The order and differences of places The Gospel Antitheta The law Faith Works Grace Merites Promise coÌ„ditioÌ„ Gods fre election maÌ„s fre wil. The difference and repugnance of these foresayde places being wel noted and exâ—ended it shall geue no smal light to euerye faithfull christian both to vnderstande the Scripture to iudge in cases of conscience and to reconcile such places in the olde and newe Testament as els may seeme to repugne according to the rule
and bringer vp of the Secte of the Nazarens which was also minded to haue polluted our temple c. Truth taken for falshode Christ taken for a seducer In what causes men forbidden ought not to cease from preaching This is to call by peruerse iudgement trueth falsehoode And thus did theyr predecessours speake of the Prophets yea and of Christ himselfe calling him a seducer and preacher of heresy which is written for our instruction And men thus being suspected as I woulde none were ought in no wise therefore to cease neither from preaching ne teaching Ensample of this we haue in the Actes of the apostles where is shewed that whē Peter Iohn had done a myracle vpon a man that had bene lame frō his natiuity whō by the power of Christ they healed Act. 4.5.6 caused to go where he pleased the people hearing of this came running about Peter Iohn Peter seeing this did exhort the people in a sermon that they should not thinke him his felow S. Iohn to haue done this wōderfull thing by their own power or holynes but by the vertue of Christ whom they theyr head rulers had slayne While they were thus speaking with the people there came vpō them the priestes officers of the temple accompanyed with the Saduces being sore displeased that they should enterprise to teach the people and preace that men should arise from death by the name of Christ whom they had caused to be crucified and therewith they layd handes vpon them and put them in warde vntill next day The next day they sent for the Apostles before them demaunding by what power and in whose name they did this myracle Peter made aunswere Act. 4. If you quoth he that are head rulers ouer the people lust by examination to knowe by what meanes we did it we woulde you should all know that we did it throvgh the name of Christ Iesu of Nazareth whom you did crucify but God did cause him to arise agayne In the vertue of hys name doth this man that afore was lame now stand before you here both whole and found For Christ is that high corner stone whō you cast away which should haue builded the peoples fayth vpon him neither is there any saluation without him These great men seing that Peter spake so freely and that he with his felow Iohn were simple men without any pompous apparel or great garde of seruaunts being like ideots and men vnlearned wondred therat At the last they did commaunde them to depart out of theyr Councell house whiles they should cōmon more largely of y e matter Peter and the Apostles prohibited by the Phariseis to preach Christ. Afterward they called y e Apostles afore them agayde commaunding them that they should no more preach ne teache in the name of Iesus But the Apostles aunswered saying I beseeche you iudge better ought we to obey you more then God or no For certaynely we must needes testify of those thinges which we haue both heard and seene Then the head Priestes threatning them sore did geue them strait charge Act. 4. not to breake theyr precept and so did let them goe not knowing any cause why they might punish them for they feared least the people would haue taken part with the Apostles for the people gaue glory to God for the myracle shewed by them Notwithstāding al these great threats Peter wrought miracles still amongst the people Peter disobeyed the precepte of the Phariseis doing thē to know that glory therfore ought to be geuē to Iesus by whose power and name they were done Wherwith the harts of the people melted for ioy so that they folowed after the Apostles whyther soeuer they went The primate of the priestes hearing of this and all that were about him repleate with indignation layd handes vpon the Apostles putting them in the common Prison But the Aungell of God in the night opened the Prison dores and brought them out saying Peter deliuered out of prison Goe you into the Temple and stand there preaching vnto the people all the wordes of life That is to say Christes doctrine and so they did earely in the morning Then came foorth the chiefe Priest and they whom he vsed to haue about him and called a Councell in which were all the Priestes of Israel or auncientes of Israel So they sent vnto the prison house for to haue the apostles brought forth before them When theyr seruaunts came to the prison house found the apostles gone thence they returned to theyr maisters saying we found the prison fast shut round about in euery part the keepers watching at the dores without full diligently But when we had opened the prison we could find no body within Then as the high priestes officers of the temple heard this they were in a great perplexity doubting what wold therof come Act. 5. Then came one vnto them shewed thē saying Behold the men that ye put in prison are standing in the temple preaching vnto the people Then wēt they thither and brought the apostles with thē without any violence but they were afrayd lest the people would haue beaten them downe with stones Then they caused the apostles to be brought into their Councell house the high priest beginning his proposition agaynst the apostles in this forme Haue we not straytly commaunded you sayd he that you should not preach in the name of Christ And see you haue filled all Hierusalem with your doctrine Will you bring this mans bloud vpō vs God to be obeyed more then men Act. 5. that we should vnrighteously haue caused him to suffer death Then aunswered Peter and the other Apostles saying We ought to obey God more then any man The God of our fathers hath raysed Iesu from death whom you did slay hanging him vpon a tree Him notwithstanding hath GOD raysed and by his power aduaunced to be our king and Sauiour by whom shal be geuen to all Israel that will take repentaunce forgeuenes of sinne These great rulers hearing this their harts were therwith clouen a sunder and they coūselled together for to slay the apostles But one good man amōg theyr multitude aduised them otherwise whose aduise they did approue Thē they called the apostles againe afore them causing them to be scourged charged them no more to preach in the name of Iesu and so did let them depart Then went they away out of the Councell reioycing that God had made thē worthye to suffer such rebukes for his name sake The counsell of Gamaliell But yet they neuer ceased to teach preach of Iesus Christ euery day in the temple and in all houses that they came into This is written in the 4.5 and 6. of the Actes of the apostles for our instruction doubt you not for such practise is shewed in all ages So that hereby you may set Act. 4.5.6 when men be wrongfully suspect or infamed
Hee that made all gouerneth all and shall iudge all knoweth I speake the trothe that the simple maye be satisfied the arrogante confounded the hypocrite disclosed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emery Tylney Dogmata eiusdem Georgij Fides sola sine operibus iustificat Opera ostendant ostentant fidem Romana ecclesia putatiuè caput mundi Lex canonica caput Papae Missae ministerium mysterium iniquitatis To the sayde maister George beinge in Captiuitie in the Castle of Sainte Andrews thâ— Deane of the same Towne was sente by the commaundement of the Cardinall and hys wicked Counsaile and there summoned the sayde maister George that hee shoulde vppon the morning followinge appeare before the Iudge then and there to geue accounte of hys seditious and hereticall doctrine To whom M. George answeared what needeth said he my Lord Cardinal to summon me to answeare for my doctrine openly before him vnder whose power and dominion I am thus straitly bound in yrons May not my Lord compel me to answere of hys extorte power 〈◊〉 George â—â—sehartes â—â—â—were 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 Or beleueth hee that I am vnprouided to render a counte of my doctrine To manifest your selues what men yee are it is well done that ye keepe your olde ceremonies and constitutions made by men Upon the next morning the Lord Cardinal caused his seruauntes to addresse them selues in theyr moste warlike arraye with Iacke Knapskal Splente Speare and axe more seeming for the warre then for the preaching of the true word of God And when these armed chaÌ„pions marching in warlike order had conueyed y e bishops into y e abbey Church M. Wyseharte brought agayne before the Bishops incontinently they sent for M. George who was conueyed into the sayd Churche by the Captayne of the Castle accompanied with an hundred men addressed in maner aforesayde Like a lambe lead they him to sacrifice As he entred into the Abbey Church doore there was a poore man lying vexed with great infirmities asking of his almes to whom he flang his purse And when he came before the Lord Cardinall M. Wyseharte casteth his purse to a poore man by and by the Suppriour of the Abbey called Dane Iohn Winryme stood vp in the pulpite and made a sermon to all the congregation there theÌ„ assembled taking his matter out of the xiii chapter of Mathewe Whose sermon was deuided into foure principall partes The first part was a briefe and short declaration of the Euangelist The second part of the interpretation of the good seed The sermon of Iohn Wynrime And because he called the word of God the good seede and heresie the euill seede he declared what heresie was and how it should be known which he defined on this maner Heresie defined Heresie is a false opinion defended with pertinacie clearly repugning the word of God The third part of his sermon was the cause of heresie within that Realme and all other Realmes The cause of heresie The cause of heresie quoth he is the ignoraunce of them which haue the cures of mens soules to whome it necessarily belongeth to haue the true vnderstanding of the woorde of God that they may be able to winne againe the false Doctours of heresies with the sworde of the spirite which is y e worde of God and not onely to winne agayne Tit. 7. but also to ouercome them as sayth Paule A Byshop must be faultlesse as it becommeth the minister of God not stubburne nor angrye no drunkard no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre but barbarous one that loueth goodnes sober minded righteous holy temperate and suche as cleaueth vnto the true worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhort with wholesome learning and to improue that which they say agaynst him The fourth part of his sermon was how heresies shuld be knowne The maner to know an hereâ—ticke Heresies quoth he be knowne on this maner as the Goldsmith knoweth the fine golde from the vnperfect by the touchstone so likewise may we knowe heresie by the vndoubted touchstone that is the true sincere and vndefiled word of God At the last he added that hereticks shoulde be put downe in this present life The Gospell was of letting the tares to grow vnto haruest To whiche proposition the gospel appeared to repugne which he entreated of Let them grow vnto the haruest the haruest is the end of the world Neuerthelesse hee affirmed that they shoulde be put downe by the ciuile magistrate and law And when hee ended his sermon incontinently they caused mayster George to ascend into the pulpit there to heare his accusation and articles And right agaynst him stood by one of the fed flocke a monster Iohn Laâ—der Iohn Lauder accuser laden full of cursinges written in paper Of the which he tooke out a roll both long and also full of cursinges threates maledictions and wordes of deuilish spite and malice The way to feare the ignoraunt saying to the innocent M. George so many cruell and abhominable wordes and hit him so spitefully with the popes thunder that the ignoraunt people dreaded least the 〈◊〉 then woulde haue swallowed him vp quicke Notwithstanding he stood still with great pacience hearing their sayinges not once mouing or chaunging his countenaunce When that this fed sâ—w had read throughout all his lying manasinges his face running down with sweate The fruites of their charitye and frothing at his mouth like a boare he spit at M. Georges face saying What aunswerest thou to these sayinges thou runnagate traytor theefe which we haue duely proued by sufficient witnes agaynst the M. George â—earing thys kneeled downe vpon hys knees in the Pulpit making his prayer to God When he had ended his prayer sweetly and Christianly he answered to them all in this maner Mayster George his aunswere MAny and horrible sayinges vnto me a Christian man M. Wyseharteâ— aunswere many wordes abhominable for to heare ye haue spoken here this day Which not onely to receaue but also once to thinke I thought euer great abhomination Wherfore I pray your discretions quietly to heare me that ye may know what were my sayings the maner of my doctrine This my petition my Lord I desire to be heard for three causes Three causes why M. Wysehart deserued to be heard The first is because thorough preaching of the worde of God his glory is made manifest It is reasonable therfore for the aduauncing of the glory of God that ye heare me teaching truely the pure word of God without any dissimulation The 2. cause The second reason is because that your health springeth of the word of God or he worketh all thing by his worde It were therefore an vnrighteous thing if ye shoulde stop your eares from me teaching truely the word of God The 3. cause The third reason is because your doctrine vttereth many blasphemous and abominable words not comming of the inspiration of God but of the
mocked them so do ye Oliph Thou denyest the sacrament of the aultar to be the very body of Christ really in flesh and bloud Oliphant Mylle The Sacrament and sacrifice of the Masse Mille. The scripture of God is not to be taken carnally but spiritually and standeth in faith only as for the Masse it is wrong for Christ was once offered on the Crosse for mans trespasse and will neuer be offered agayne for then he ended all sacrifice Oliph Thou deniest the office of a Byshop Mille. Oliphant Mylle Byshops no Byshops I affirme that they whome ye call Byshops do no Bishops workes nor vse the offices of Bishops as Paul biddeth writing to Timothy but liue after their owne sensuall pleasure and take no care of the flocke nor yet regard they the word of God but desire to be honored and called my Lords Oliph Olyphant Thou speakest against pilgrimage and callest it a pilgrimage to whoredome Mille. I affirme that and say that it is not commaunded in the scripture Mylle and that there is no greater whoredome in no places then at your pilgrimages except it be in common brothels Oliph Thou preachedst quietly and priuatly in houses and openly in the fields Mille. Yea man and on the sea also sailing in ship Oliph Walter Mylle constant in the truth Sentence pronounced against Walter Mylle Wilt thou not recant thine erroneous opinioÌ„s and if thou wilt not I will pronounce sentence against thee Mille. I am accused of my life I know I must die once therfore as Christ sayd to Iudas Quod facis fac citius Ye shal know that I will not recant the truth for I am corne Patricke Learmonâ— the Archbyshopâ— stuard 〈◊〉 Prouost â—â—â—fuseth to his tempâ—â—rall iudgeâ— Also the Archbishops chamberlaine refuseth to be his iudge The townâ— offended wâ—th the condemâ—â—â—tion of Walter Mille. No corde all the towne could be bought to tye him to the stake Alexander Symmerâ—waill the Bishops seruant made teâ—â—poral iudâ—â— for Walteâ— Mille. The miraculous weâ—â— king of 〈◊〉 in Walter Mille. W. Millâ— denyed by the Byshoâ—â— to speake W. Mille permitted by the 〈◊〉 men to speake I am no chaffe I wil not be blowne away with the wind nor burst with the flaile but I will abide both These thinges rehearsed they of purpose with other light trifles to augment their final accusation and then sir Andrew Oliphant pronounced sentence against him that he shuld be deliuered to the temporall iudge and punished as an hereticke which was to be burnt Notwithstanding his boldnes and constancie moued so the hartes of many that the Byshops Stuard of his regalitie Prouost of the towne called Patrike Learmond refused to be his temporall iudge to whome it appertained if the cause had bene iust Also the Bishops chamberlaine being therwith charged would in no wise take vpon him so vngodly an office Yea the whole towne was so offended with his vniust coÌ„demnation that the Bishops seruauntes could not get for their money so much as one cord to tie him to y e stake or a tarre barrell to burne him but were constrained to cut the cordes of their maisters own pauilion to serue their turne Neuerthelesse one seruaunt of the Byshops more ignoraunt and cruell then the rest called Alexander Symmerwayll enterprising the office of a temporall iudge in that part conueyed him to the fire where against all naturall reason of man his boldnes and hardines did more and more increase so that the spirit of God working miraculously in him made it manifest to the people that his cause and Articles were iust and he innocently put downe Now when all things were ready for his death and he conueyed with armed men to the fire Oliphant had him passe to the stake and he said nay but wilt thou put me vp with thy hand and take part of my death thou shalt see me passe vp gladly for by y e law of God I am forbiddeÌ„ to put hands vpon my selfe TheÌ„ Oliphant put him vp with his hand and he ascended gladly saying Introibo ad altare Dei and desired that he might haue place to speake to y e people the which Oliphant and other of the burners denyed saying that he had spoken ouer much for the Byshops were altogether offended that y e matter was so long continued Then some of the yong men committed both the burners and the Byshops their maysters to the Diuell saying that they beleeued that they should lament that daye and desired the sayd Walter to speake what he pleased The Martyrdome of Walter Mille. Epitaphium Non nostra impietas aut actae crimina vitae Armarunt hostes in mea fata truces Sola fides Christi sacris signata libellis Quae vitae causa est est mihi causa necis After this by the iust iudgement of God in the same place where Walter Mille was burnt the Images of the great Church of the Abbey which passed both in number and costlines were burnt in time of reformation Ex fideli testimonio è Scotia misso And thus much concerning such matters as happened and such Martirs as suffered in the Realme of Scotland for the faith of Christ Iesus and testimonie of his truth ¶ Persecution in Kent IN reuoluing the Registers of William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury I finde moreouer besides these aboue comprehended Ex Regist. W. Warrham Archiepisc Cant. in the time and reigne of king Henry the names of diuers other wherof some suffered Martyrdome for the like testimonie of Gods worde and some recanted which albeit heere do come a little out of order and shoulde haue bene placed before in the beginning of King Henries reigne yet rather then they should vtterly be omitted I thought heere to geue them a place though somewhat out of time yet not altogether I trust without fruit vnto the Reader being no lesse worthy to be Registred and preserued from obliuion then other of theyr fellowes before them ¶ A Table of certayne true seruants of God and Martyrs omitted which were burned in the Dioces of Cant. vnder William Warrham Archbyshop of Canterbury with the names of theyr persecuters and accusers an 1511. Persecuters and Iudges Accusers and witnesses The Martyrs Wyllyam Warrham Archbishop of Caunterbury D. Cutbert Tonstall Doctour of both lawes and Chauncelour of the Archbyshop D. Syluester Lawyer D. Wellys Doctour Clement Browne Doctor Iohn Collet Deane of Paules Doctour Wodyngton Martirs in Kent before the tyme of M. Luther Willyam Rich of Benynden Agnes Iue of Canterbury Robert Hilles of Tenterden Steuen Castelyn of Tenterden Io. Grebill of Tenterden husband to Agnes Grebill the Martyr Christopher Grebill the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Io. Grebill the yonger the naturall sonne of Agnes Grebill the Martyr Wil. Oldbert of Godmersham Laur. CheterdeÌ„ Tho. Harwood of Rowenden Ioane Harwood his wife Phill. Hardwod WilliaÌ„ Baker of Cramebroke Edw. Walker Robert Reinold of Benynden Williem Carder of Tenderden
rehearsed Besides these two there was none els in all king Edwardes raigne Tho. Dobbe inprisoned and in prison dyed that dyed in any maner cause of religion but that one Thom. Dobbe who in the beginning of this kinges raigne was apprehended for speaking agaynst the idolatry of the masse and in the same prison died as in story here ensueth to be sene This Thomas Dobbe being a studeÌ„t and a maister of Arte in Cambridge was brought vp in the colledge called S. Iohns Colledge and felowe of the same where he increased in the studye of good letters among his equals very forward of nature and disposition simple and modest of zeale toward God ferueÌ„t pacient in iniuries Doues as Philosophers naturally do write haue no gall iniurious to no man of much like sort condition as in Doues which without all bitternes of gal are more apt to receiue iniury then to worke wrong to any At length this godly man intending with himselfe and addicting hys mynde to the Christian state of Matrimony resorted to a certayn mayden not farre of where he dwelt For the whiche cause he was greatly molested and wickedly abused by iij. of that Colledge whose names were Hutchinson Pindare and Tailer who with theyr malicious handlyng scornful dealing opprobries rebukes and coÌ„tumelies so much vexed the vertuous simplicity of y e man that they neuer left him till at length they weryed him out of the Colledge Who there hauing no rest nor quietnes by reasoÌ„ of the vnreasonable and viruleÌ„t handling of his aduersaries was compelled to seek some other place wherin to settle himself Up on the occasion wherof comming vp to LoÌ„don it chauÌ„ced him to passe through Paules Church wheras it happned that at the Southside of the Churche at the same tyme there was a Priest at Masse more busy then wel occupied being at the eleuation as he passed by The yong man repleat with godly zeale pitying the ignorance and idolatry of the people in honoring that so deuoutly which the priest lifted vp was not able to forbeare but opening his mouth turning to the people he exhorted them not to honor the visible bread as God which neither was God nor yet ordeined of God to be honored c. with such other wordes mo of christian information For which cause straight way he was apprehended by the Maior and after accused to the Bishop of CauÌ„terbury was committed to the CouÌ„ter theÌ„ in Bredstreete where he not long continued but fallyng into a sicknes how or wherupon I can not tell shortly vp on the same chauÌ„ged this mortall life Whose pardoÌ„ notw tstanding was obteined of the Lord Protector and shoulde haue bene brought him if he had coÌ„tinued And thus much concerning Thomas Dobbe and other Ouer and besides I finde that in the first yeare of the raygne of King Edward which was an 1547. there was one Iohn Hume seruaunt to Maister Lewnax of Wresell apprehended accused and sent vp to the Archbish. of CauÌ„terbury by the sayd M. Lewnax his Mayster Margaret Lewnax his mistres for these Articles 1 First for denying the Sacrament as it was then called of the aultar to be the reall flesh and bloud of Christ. 2 For saying that he would neuer vale his bonet vnto it to be burned therefore 3 For saying that if he shoulde heare Masse he shoulde be damned For this was he sent vp by his maister and mistres aforesayd with speciall letters vnto the Archbishop requiring him seuerally to be punished by the law for the same But because I finde no execution folowing thereupon I therfore passe ouer this story of him These thinges premissed when this vertuous godly yong prince endued as you haue heard with speciall graces from God was now peaceably stablished in his kingdome and had a couÌ„sell about him graue wise and zelous in Gods cause especially his vncle y e duke of Somerset he then most earnestly likewise desired as well the aduauncement of the true honor of almighty God and the planting of his sincere religion as also the vtter suppressioÌ„ and extirpation of all idolatry superstition hipocrisy and other enormities and abuses throughout his realmes and dominions therefore folowing as is afore expressed the good example of king Iosias he determined forthwith to enter into some reformation of Religion in the Church of England And forasmuch as at his first entry notwithstanding his fathers good beginning in abolishing the vsurped power of Antichrist he yet fouÌ„d most of his lawes greatly repugning agaynst this his zealous enterprise he therefore purposed by the aduise of his sayd wise honorable Counsell of his owne regall power and authority somewhat to prosecute his godly purpose vntill such time as by consent of the whole estate of parliameÌ„t he might establish a more free perfect and vniforme order therin Wherupon intending first a generall visitation ouer al the bishopricks within his realm therby as wel to vnderstaÌ„d Order 〈◊〉 by K. 〈◊〉 for 〈…〉 â—â—â—ligion as also to redresse the abuses in the same he chose out certayn wise learned discrete and worshipful personages to be his Commissioners in that behalfe and so deuiding them into seuerall companies Learneâ— preacheâ— appoynâ—â—â— by King Edwarâ— assigned vnto them seueral Diocesses to be visited appoynting likewise vnto euery company one or two godly learned preachers which at euery Session shoulde in theyr preaching both instruct the people in the true doctrine of the Gospell of Christ in all loue and obedience to the same and also earnestly dehorâ—e them from theyr olde superstition and wonted Idolatrye And that they might be more orderly directed in this their Commission there were deliuered vnto them certayn Iniunctions ecclesiasticall orders drawne out by the kings learned counsell the which they should both enquyre of also commaund in his maiesties behalfe to be thenceforth obserued of euery person to whoÌ„ they did seuerally appertayne within theyr sondry circuites In the which amongst other things it was first enioined that all Ecclesiasticall persons should themselues obserue and cause to be obserued of other Ecclesiaâ—â—â—â—call 〈◊〉 must 〈◊〉 against 〈◊〉 Popes 〈…〉 all such Statutes as were made for the abolishing of the Bishop of Romes vsurped power and establishing of the kings supreme authority and that they should euery one foure times in the yeare at the least in theyr publick sermons declare vnto y e people that the one being most arrogaÌ„tly vsurped against the word of God was now iustly taken away and the other according to y e very true meaning of the same worde was of most loyall duety onely to be obeyed of all his graces subiectes And agayne that euery the aforesayd ecclesiastical person hauing cure shoulde preach Sermonâ— quarterâ—â— be made or cause to be preached w t in theyr seueral cures one sermon euery quarter of y e yere In the which they should sincerely set forth the woorde of God exhort the people vnto
fauored doinges of that man be thou sure such as was theÌ„ secret about him and yet his well willers theyr names I leaue vntouched hauing his writinges or beyng able to shew them as I am priuy they are would not so conceale them in couert as they doe being thereto both prouoked and occasioned by vs if they had seene any thing in them meete to relieue the person or to remedy his matter Wherfore thinke not for any such effect these his vayne glorious Letters to be brought in here of vs. But onelye that thou might hereby collect and vnderstand by those his foresayd epistles and articles folowing not only the whole course and story almost of all his procedinges from time to time but also might see the nature and inward condition of the man how vayneglorious full stuft and puft vp with arrogancy and drowned in his owne conceite he was much like to the parson or rather he himselfe described in the latine Comedy Miles Thraso Gloriosus haue nothing in his mouth but Emperors Kinges counsellors protectors aduisementes direction as though all directioÌ„ of realmes and princes did flowe out of his brayne like as it is in the Poets fables that Minerua did spring out of the head of Iupiter And yet if this vaynglorious conceit had bene alone in him lesse matter had bene agaynst him Now hys subtle practises and pretensed purposes and dissimulynge conueyance did not onely augment but also exceded al his other euils As in the letters aboue specified is notorious and euident to see wherein though he durst not apertly gainsay that which he inwardly misliked yet how couertly doth he insinuate himselfe to the Lord Protector vnder preteÌ„ce of geuing couÌ„sell to bring that to passe which was for his purpose that is no innouation or alteration to bee made of religion during all the kinges minority but to let all thinges stand as king Henry left them And that is the chiefest But in all his letters wherto he driueth vsing commonly this argument which as it is easy to recite so neither is it hard to answere to Although in the notes before we haue answered already sufficiently ¶ The Summe and Conclusion of all Winchesters drift in his Epistles before THat is chiefely to bee feared and auoyded of the Lorde Protector and now specially in the Kinges minority that may bring both daunger to hym Argumâ—â—â— and trouble to the Realme Innouation of religion from that state which K. Henry left it may be and is like to be daungerous to himselfe and cause trouble to the Realme Ergo innouation of Religion from the state that the king left it is in no wise to be attempted ¶ The aunswer Anno 1549. TO aunswer first to the vocable innouation which he stumbleth so greatly vpon this I say that innouation is properly vsed â—â—swere where a thing is brought in a new which was not before Forasmuch therefore as in this alteration there is no new religion brought in but only the old religion of the primitiue church reuiued therfore here is to be thought not so much an innouation as a renouation or reformation rather of religion which reformation is oft tymes so necessary in common weales that without the same all runneth to confusion Secondly I aunswer to the argument which I doe deny as a fallax for there is fallacia accidentis Where it is sayd that reformation of religion gendreth daunger to the Protector and trouble to the realme first what wil come that is vncertaine And God be hallowed yet no danger hath come to England for the reformation of religioÌ„ And though there did yet the cause thereof is not to be imputed to religion reformed For sincere and true doctrine of hys owne nature worketh quiet peace and tranquillitie with all good order And if the contrary happen that is incident by other causes as by the malice of Sathan and wycked aduersaries not by reason of the doctrine and true religion So after the preaching of Christ and his Apostles dissention followed in common weales betwixt father and sonne brother and brother c. but that is not to be ascribed to them but to other As concerning the faults found in the Paraphrase of Erasmus The Paraphrase of Erasmus this I aunswer and say that this bishop belike had ouerwatched himselfe in this matter For if it be true which he himselfe affirmeth fol. 744. that he neuer read that booke before and now he neuer slept till he himselfe red it It happened peraduenture that in the ouermuch watching of himselfe and swift readyng of the booke hys iudgement was a sleepe whiles his eyes were open in readyng the same Likewyse touching the booke of Homelies especially the Homilie of saluation The booke of Homelâ—â— wherewith he findeth hymselfe so much grieued with the Archbishop seeyng he bringeth foorth no prooues I haue nothing to answer In y e meane season this I haue to thinke that if he had bene so cunning in the knowledge of his owne saluation as he was in the destruction and vexation of Christes members he would neuer so rage agaynst that Homily Touching the examination of Anne Askew if it bee misreported by M. Bale The examiâ—â—tion of Anne Askew sette forth by M. Bale why doth not he note the places which they be and wherein And if he had or were able so to do yet seeyng the examination was of her own penning which M. Bale did follow let euery Christian Reader iudge whether is more to be credited of these two she that was persecuted or he that was the persecuter And where he speaketh so much of quiet and tranquilitie This I aunswere Quiet and tranquilitye of realmes â—â—ght not 〈◊〉 stoppe reformation of religion that quiet and tranquillitie in weales publike so long as they are ioined with right reformed religion be much to be embraced But when it is otherwise that is where true religion lacketh his right there let the second table geue place to the first He thwarteth also and wrangleth much against plaiers Preachers â—â—inters â—â—â—ayers Printers Preachers And no maruell why For he seeth these three things to be set vp of God as a triple bulwarke against the triple crowne of the Pope to bring him down as God be praysed they haue done meetely well alreadie As touching the Article of Free iustification by fayth which he cannot abide The Article 〈◊〉 â—ustifiâ—â—â—ion forasmuch as we haue sufficiently declared in the notes before we shalt referre the Reader now also vnto the same The letter 〈◊〉 Wincheâ—â—â—â— sent to â— Ridley And moreouer because in one of his letters mention is made of a certaine letter sent vnto M. Ridley because we will defraud thee gentle reader of nothing that commeth to our handes here hast thou the copy thereof in effect as followeth Here followeth the copy of the letter of Stâ— Gardiner sent to M. Ridley in the letters aboue mentioned conteining matter and obiections against
this binedeth hym as Dauid in Christes person witnesseth Our Fathers hoped in thee and thou deliueredst them c. Psal. 22. yet by coÌ„iectures I coulde not but suppose thoughe not so certainely the time of your suffering and probation to be at hande For now is the power of darknes fully come vpon this realme most iustly for oâ—r sinnes and abusing the light lent vs of the Lorde to the setting foorthe of oure selues more then of Gods glory y t as wel we might be brought into the better knowledge of our euils and so heartily repeÌ„t which God graunt vs to doe as also we might haue more feeling and sense of our sweete sauiour Iesus Christ by the humbling and deiecting of vs thereby to make vs as more desirous of him so him more sweet and pleasant vnto vs the which thing the good spirite of God woorke sensibly in all oure hearts for Gods holy names sake For this cause I thoughte it my duetie beynge nowe where I haue some libertye to write the Lord be praised and hearing of you as I heare to doe that which I should haue done if I had heard nothing at all that is to desire you to be of good cheare and comfort in the Lord although in the worlde you see cause rather to the contrarye and to goe on forewardes in the way of God whereinto you are entred considering that the same cannot but so much more and more waxe strait to the outward man by howe muche you drawe nearer to the ende of it Euen as in the trauaile of a woman The nearer we come to our iourneyes end trauayling to heauen the strayter is the way the nearer shee draweth to her deliuerie the more her paines encrease so it goeth with vs in y e Lordes way the nearer we drawe to our deliueraunce by death to eternall felicitie Example whereof we haue I will not say in the holy Prophetes and Apostles of God which when they were young girded them selues and went in manner whether they would Example of the trauell of a woman Iohn 21. but when they waxed olde they went girded of others whither they would not concerning y e outward man but rather and moste liuely in our Sauiour Iesus Christ whose life way was much more painfull to hym towardes the ende then it was at the beginning And no marueyle Example of Christ and his Apostles for Satan cane something abide a man to begin wel set forewards but rather then he should go on to the ende he wil vomite his gorge and cast flouds to ouerflow him before he wil suffer that to come to passe Therefore as we should not be dismaide nowe at thys world The malice of the deuill no new thing as though some strange thyng were happened vnto vs in that it is but as it was wont to be to the godly in that the Deuill declareth him selfe after his olde woont in that we haue professed no lesse but to forsake the world and the deuil as Gods very enemie in that we learned no lesse at the first when we came to Gods schole then to deny our selues and take vp our crosse and folow our master which leadeth vs none other way then he him selfe hath gone before vs as I say we should not be dismaid so we should with patience and ioy go forewards if we set before vs as present the time to come like as the wife in her trauaile doeth the deliuerance of her child and as the saints of God did but especially our sauiour and paterne Iesus Christe for the Apostle sayeth Heb. 12. He set before him the ioye and glorye to come and therfore contemned the shame sorow of the crosse so if we did we shoulde finde at the length as they founde For whome would it greeue which hath a long iourney to go to go through a peece of foule way if he knewe that after that the way should be moste pleasaunt yea the iourney shoulde be ended Godly counsell stirring vs to the contempt of this transitory lyfe and he at his resting place most happie Who wiil be afeard or lothe to leaue a litle pelfe for a little time if he knewe he should shortly after receiue most plentifull riches Who will be vnwilling for a little while to forsake his wife children or frends c. when he knoweth he shall shortly after be associated vnto them inseparably euen after his owne hearts desire Who wil be sory to forsake this life which can not but be moste certaine of eternall life Who loueth the shadowe better then the bodye Who can loue this life but they that regarde not the life to come Who can desire the drosse of this worlde but such as be ignoraunt of the treasures of the euerlasting ioy in heauen Mathew 19. I meane who is afeard to die but suche as hope not to liue eternally Christ hath promised pleasures richesse ioye 1. Peter 2. felicitie and all good things to them that for hys sake lose any thing or suffer any sorrowe And is he not true Howe can hee but be true for guile was neuer founde in his mouth Alas then why are we so slacke and slow yea harde of heart to beleue him promising vs thus plentifully eternal blisfulnes and are so ready to beleue the worlde promising vs many things and paying vs nothing If we will currie fauour nowe and halâ—e on bothe partes then it promiseth vs peace The flatteâ—ing promises of this world ill fauoâ—â—â—ly performed quietnesse and many thinges els But howe doeth it pay this geare or if it pay it with what quietnesse of conscience Or if so howe long I pray you Doe not we see before our eyes men to die shamefully I meane as Rebelles and other malefactours which refuse to dye for Gods cause What way is so sure a way to heauen as to suffer in Christes cause If there be anye waye on horsebacke to heauen surely this is the way By manye troubles sayeth the Apostle wee must enter into heauen Actes 14. All that will liue godly in Christ Iesu must suffer persecution For the world can not loue them that are of God 2. Timothy 3. the deuill can not loue hys ennemies the worlde will loue none but hys owne you are Christes therefore looke for no loue heere Should we looke for fire to quenche our thirste And as soone shall Gods true seruants finde peace and fauour in Antichrists regiment Therfore my dearly beloued be stout in the Lorde and in the power of his might Put on you his armour stande in the libertie of Christe which you haue learned reioyce that you may be counted woorthy to suffer any thyng for Gods cause to all men thys is not geuen Your rewarde is great in heauen though in earth you find nothing The iourney is almost past you are almost in the hauen halt on a pace I beseeche you and merily hoâ—se vp your sailes To 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉
is the next and immediate cause which by Gods promise worketh our iustification according as it is wrytten Crede in Dominum Iesum saluus eris tu domus tua i. Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued thou and thy whole house Actes 16. And thus muche touching the definition of Election wyth the causes thereof declared Which you see nowe to be no merites nor woorkes of man whether they go before or come after faith but onely the meere mercy of God through faith For like as all they that be borne of Adam doe taste of his malediction though they tasted not his apple so al they that be borne of Christ which is by faith take part of the obedience of Christ although they neuer did that obedience them selues whyche was in hym Rom. 5. Nowe to the second consideration let vs see likewise how The second â—onsideration and in what order this election of God proceedeth in chusing and electing them which hee ordaineth to saluation which order is this In them that be chosen to life first Gods mercy and free grace bringeth foorth election Election worketh vocation or Gods holy calling which vocation thorowe hearing bringeth knowledge and faith of Christ Grace Election â—ocation Fayth â—uâ—â—ificatioÌ„ Glorification Mans free-will Blynd â—ortune Man wisedome Mans Learnâ—ng Maâ—s 〈◊〉 Worâ—es of the lawe excluded from the causes of our saluatioÌ„ in Chriâ—t Faith through promise obtaineth iustification Iustification thorow hope waiteth for glorification Election is before time Uocation and faith commeth in time Iustification and glorification is wythout ende Election depending vppon Gods free grace and will excludeth all mannes will blinde fortune chaunce and all peraduentures Uocation standing vpon Gods election excludeth all mans wisedome cunning learning intention power and presumption Faith in Christ proceding by y e gift of the holy Ghoste and freely iustifying man by Gods promise excludeth all other merites of men all condition of deseruing and all works of the law both Gods law and mans law with all other outward meanes what soeuer Iustification comming freely by Faith standeth sure by promise without doubt feare or wauering in this lyfe Glorification pertaining onely to the life to come by hope is looked for Grace and mercy preuenteth Election ordaineth Uocation prepareth and receiueth the word whereby commeth faith Faith iustifieth Iustification bringeth glory Election is the immediate and next cause of vocation Uocation which is the working of Gods spirit by the woord is the immediate and next cause of faith Faith is the immediate and next cause of iustification And this order and connexion of causes is diligeÌ„tly to be obserued Papistes 〈◊〉 and the doctrine 〈…〉 because of the Papistes which haue miserably confounded and inuerted this doctrine thus teaching that almighty God so farre foorth as he foreseeth mans merites before to come so doeth he dispense his election Dominus pro vt cuiusque merita fore praeuidet ita dispensat electionis gratiam And againe Nullis praecedentibus meritis Dominum rependere electionis gratiam futuris tamen concedere That is That the Lorde recompenseth the grace of election not to any merites preceeding but yet graunteth the same to the merites which follow after As though we had our election by our holinesse that followeth after not rather haue our holinesse by Gods election going before But we folowing the scripture say otherwise that the cause onely of Gods election Election is hys owne free mercy and the cause only of our iustification is our faith in Christ and nothing els As for example first concerning Election if the question be asked why was Abraham chosen and not Nachor Why was Iacob chosen not Esau Why was Moses elected and Pharao hardened Why Dauid accepted and Saule refused Why fewe be chosen and the moste forsaken It can not be answeared otherwise but thus because it was so the good will of God In like maner touching vocation and also faith if the question be asked why this vocation gifte of faith was geuen to Cornelius the Gentil and not to Tertullius the Iewe Whye to the poore to the babes and little ones of this world of whom Christ speaketh I thanke thee Father which haste hidde this from the wise c. Mathew 11. Whye to the vnwise Vocation bringeth fayth the simple abiectes and outcastes in thys worlde Of whome speaketh S. Paule 1. Cor. 1. Yee see your calling my brethren howe not many of you c. Why to the sinners and not to the iust Why the beggers by the hye wayes were called and the bidden gestes excluded We can goe to no other cause but to Gods purpose election and saye wyth Christe our Sauiour Quia pater sic complacitum est ante te i. Yea father for so it seemed good in thy sight Luke 18. And so for Iustification likewise if the question be asked why the Publicane was iustified Iustification by fayth onely and not the Pharisey Luke 18. Why Marie the sinner and not Symon the inuiter Luke 11. Why harlottes and Publicanes goe before the Scribes and Pharisees in the kingdom Mat. 21. Why the sonne of the free woman was receiued and the bond womans sonne being hys elder reiected Genes 21. Why Israel whych so long sought for righteousnes found it not and the Gentiles whych sought not for it found it Rom. 9. Wee haue no other cause heereof to render but to say wyth S. Paule because they soughte for it by woorkes of the Lawe and not by Faith which faith as it commeth not by mans will as the Papist falsly pretendeth but only by the election and free gift of God so it is only the immediate cause whereunto the promise of oure saluation is annexed according as we read And therefore of faith is the inheritaunce geuen as after grace that the promise might stande sure to euery seede Rom. 4. Item in the same chap. Faith beleeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked is imputed to righteousnesse And thus concerning the cause of our saluation yee see howe faith in Christ onely and immediately without any coÌ„dition doth iustifie vs How fayth and election are lincked together in the acte of Iustifiyng being so linked with Gods mercye and election that where so euer election goeth before there faith in Christ must needes folow after And againe whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ Iesu through the vocation of God he must needes be partaker of Gods election Whereuppon resulteth nowe the thirde note or consideration whych is to consider whether a man in this life may be certaine of his election To answere to which question thys first is to be vnderstande The third consideration that although oure election and vocation simplye in deede be knowen to God onely in hym selfe à priore yet notwythstanding it may be knowen to euery particular faithfull man à posteriore Election knowen to God simply Election knowen to man by meanes that is
his learning in the law therby faythfully to execute his office according to iustice and none otherwise Item in the xiiij Article of the sayde surmised Information it is vntruely declared that through the vnlawfull sequestration of the fruites of the Benefices of Langatok and Lanuihangell Cundy and the vndiscreete handlyng of the sayd Byshoppe there were raysed a great number of people to the great daunger of the Inhabitantes theraboutes Trueth it is that the sayd Byshoppe vpon good and Lawefull considerations and specially for that the Kynges Maiestye should be truely aunswered of his first fruites and Tenthes of the sayd Benefices he did lawfully and as he was bounde to doe sequester the sayde fruites in the Kinges Maiestyes name and by his authority and committed the custodye thereof for a time vnto two honest men to the effect aforesaid and none otherwise without any occasion of tumult or gathering of the people through his default or folly Item whereas it is alleadged in the xix article of the information that the Byshop did celebrate Matrimonye in his owne person without receiuing or Ministryng the Communion to the persons maryed it is true for that the sayd Byshop had trauayled xiiij long wealche myles and not able to celebrate the holye Communion fasting and for other reasonable and lawefull causes him mouing did in a Chappell within the house of Syr Thomas Ioanes Knighte one of the Kinges honourable Counsell of the Marches of Wales solemnise Matrimony betwixt Mayster Griffith Ryce and the Daughter of the sayd Syr Thomas Ioanes without either receiuing the holy Communion hymselfe or Ministring the same to the persons maried being as then not disposed so to do it lawfully and godly without any such superstitious knockinges or blessinges or other vncomely gestures as is deduced in that article Item touching the contentes of the residue of all the sayd articles conteined in the sayde information the sayde Bishop partly for the auoyding of tediousnes and partly for that some of them be vntrue and mere false some other generall obscure friuolous vayne and of none effect but of malice and euill will contrary to truth conceaued leaueth them particularly vnaunswered vnto Item the sayd Bishop alledgeth that he hath not by al the time that he hath bene Byshop vsed any superstitions or Papistry as it is vntruelye surmised agaynst him but hath and doth to the vttermost of his power witte and cunning set forth maynteine preach and teache the true doctrine of the Gospell and such laudable doctrine as hee ought to do by the kinges Lawes Iniunctions and proceedinges and for such a teacher he hath bene and is commonly knowne named reputed taken and accepted notoriously And where the sayde Chauntour and George perceyued theyr depositions to be insufficient they required and hadde Commission into the Countrey to examine further Witnesses which they executed very parcially and vnlawfully as is alleadged in the Byshops exceptions aboue mentioned And whereas to the sayd Raulins Lee were awarded two seuerall Commissions they by fauour of the officers and for sparing of costes conioyned both in one had iij. months to make returne as appeareth by the copy of their commission which hereafter followeth ¶ A copy of the Commission awarded downe into the Countrey for the examination of Witnesses EDwardus sextus dei gratia Angliae Franciae Hyberniae rex fidei defensor in terra Ecclesiae Anglicanae Hyberniae supremum caput dilectis fidelibus suis Georgio Harbert militi Thomae Iones militi Iohanni Wogan militi ac dilectis sibi Dauid Vaughan Owino ap Owen armigeris salutem Sciatis quod nos de fidelitatibus prouidis circumspectionibus vestris plurimum fidentes assignauimus vos quatuor tres ac duos vestrum ac tenore praesentium damus vobis quatuor tribus vel duobus vestrum plenam potestatem autoritatem capiendi recipiendi depositiones examinationes quorumcunque testium ex parte Hugonis Rawlins Clerici Thomae Leghe de super quibusdam articulis per ipsos Hugonem Thomam Leghe consilio nostro exhibitis praesentibus inclusis Necnon depositiones examinationes in scriptis redigendas Et nos de huiusmodi examinationibus depositionibus cum sic per vos quatuor tres vel duos vestrûm captae fuerint in Cancellariam nostram in crastino AsceÌ„sionis domini proxime futurae vbicunque tuÌ„c fuerit sub sigillis vestris quatuor trium vel duorum vestrum clausis certificandum remittentes nobis tunc articulos praedictos vna cum hoc breui Et ideo vobis mandamus quod circa pâ—aemissa diligenter intendatis cum effectu Teste me ipso apud Westmon 9. die Martij Anno regni nostri sexto Marten DUryng all this tyme of the examination of the witnesses the sayd Bishop was stayed at London vpon the allegation of the sayd aduersaries which was that if the sayd B. should depart into his dioces he would let them of their prooues And at the returne of their commission it was signified vnto the Counsail what a great number of witnesses they had examined viz. sixe score and vij which sounded very hamons in the counsailes eares And about three weekes after Publication of theyr witnesses was graunted and after that it was a fortnight or the B. could get a copy written of their depositions because the booke therof is so huge and monstrous Then the Bishop desired tyme First to enquire of what condition the persones were that had witnessed agaynst hym and to make exceptions and matters to iustifie direct contrary and to haue a commission for the proofe thereof which was then graunted And now it is obiected that the Bishop was appoynted so to trauell with the expedition of hys matter that he should haue sued out his Commission and haue made returne therof at Alhallowtide last past but there was no such decree put in writyng And it was not possible for the Bishop to doe it in so short a time these causes considered which he would not auoid as followeth First it was the latter end of Iuly ere he came home to S. Dauids where he began his visitation which before was appointed Secondly he was by force of law constrained to aunswer at the barre daily during all the tyme the great Sessions at Carmarthen in defence of hys iust cause agaynst the pretensed matter of premunire which his aduersaries of meere malice hath procured agaynst hym Thirdly the said aduersaries to molest hym further did priuily packe a quest of ignorant persons of no reputation and indited hym vpon the words of Raulins information as appeareth by a copy of the inditement entending thereby to make the matter sound more hainous notwithstanding y t the same cause dependeth before the kings high counsaile vndetermined Fourthly hee was appointed by the Commissioners before his departure from London to pay two hundreth pound which was arrerages into the court of first fruits and tenths at
Bartlemew day then next folowing which payment he made accordingly notwithstanding that hys aduersaries wrought meanes to haue made hym breake hys day namely one Edward Harbard Gentleman who hath a personage of his to Farme kept backe his rent to the very last day because that money should not helpe to serue his turne and so by crafty cauillation deteyneth it still in his hand with a yeres rent and a halfe more for the sayd Edward Harbert is an adherent of the sayd Bishops aduersaries Fiftly the booke of their depositions is so great that it asketh a long tyme to peruse And also the greatest part of their witnesses were vtterly vnknowen of the bishop and all his And also dwellyng in so many sondry places of the Dioces among the mountaines and els where scarcely within the circuit of two hundred miles Item another great Sessions holden at Carmarthen in the moneth of October last during which tyme he was attendant there as is aforesayd All which causes considered beyng also in the tyme of his ordinary visitatioÌ„ which he did execute himselfe he could not make redy his exceptions in shorter tyme. The sayd Bishop dispatched his man towards London the 23. day of October who euer sithens hath bene and is attendaunt in the same sute for the obtainyng of the Commission for proofe of his matter agaynst hys aduersaries ¶ A copy of a certaine letter written by the Bish. of S. Dauids MOst humbly sheweth vnto your honour your poore Orator Robert Bishop of Saint Dauies that where as one Thomas Lee by the procurement of T. Y. and R. M. beyng both Canons of Saint Dauies George Constantine Register to the sayd Bishop hath exhibited vnto your honour agaynst him certayne articles in the which are mentioned many triflyng things vnworthy to be declared in your honourable audience and also theyr pretensed weighty articles as they haue alledged there are vtterly vntrue for proofe whereof the â—ayd Thomas Lee hath had Commissions into the countrey Therefore it may please your honour of your fauourable goodnes to graunt vnto your sayd Oratour a lyke Commission for the examination of witnesse in defence of his truth and honesty against the sayd Thomas Lee George Constantine and the aforenamed Rowland Merike and all other persons with theyr iniust articles attestations and sayings which hath deposed against hym And in tender consideration that your sayd Orator standeth bounâ—en and sureties with hym in the summe of a thousand markes to appeare before the Kings Iustice in the Sessions at Carmarthen in Iuly next commyng to aunswer to a forged matter of premunire by the procurement and counsaile of his forenamed aduersaries maliciously surmised agaynst hym to his vtter vndoyng And furthermore your Orator beyng in debt to the Kings Maiesty by reason of the malicious vexation of his foresayd aduersaries cannot if hee remayne here satisfie the same for where as there be rerages to a great summe as well of the Kings money as of his owne rentes he can receiue none thereof hys aduersaries hath made such ill report to his discredite bearyng the people in hand that he shall come no more thether By reason of which brute neither his owne tenants will pay theyr rentes and rerages nor the priests their rerages due to the Kyngs Maiesty as well for anno secundo and tertio as for quarto and quinto In consideration of all which thyngs it may ylease your honourable goodnes to licence your sayd Orator to depart into the Diocesse for these affayres and other And hee is ready at all tymes at your honourable commaundement and pleasure to repayre agayne and euer to pray to the Lorde Iesu for the perpetuall conseruation of your honour to his glory ¶ Another letter written by the Bishop of S. Dauies RIght honourable and my very especiall good Lorde with humble seruice and harty thanks to God and to you for your godly fauour towardes me at all tymes as right playnly appeareth by your fatherly letters most louingly admonishing me to enclyne vnto that which is very necessary as charitable concorde and vnitie This is furtherly to besiche your Lordship for the Lordes sake not to be grieued but benignly to heare and grauely to ponder that weighty matter which appearing to other but a light griefe to me is in very deede a right grieuous offence to God with no little hinderaunce of his holy word and disturbance of the Kings godly proceedyngs may be a great occasion of much inobedience and disorder of good lyfe Wherefore I am straightly bounden for the true zeale that I ought to beare vnto Gods worde of lyfe Christian religion the Kings Maiesties honour and the godly quiet state of hys people not faintly to let fall the burthen of diligent redresse to bee sought at his Maiesties handes by the godly wisedome of hys most honourable and vpright Counsaile but with harty affection to beare it vp against those high mynded arrogant stubburne ambitious couetous canons trusting in their biting tonges with crafty preuention and vtterly vntrue surmises to stoppe the light that their vngodly misdoings in darknes shal either not be seene or at the lest may seeme to appeare in colourable appearance of right In so much that I doe not a little maruell at these qualities in M. Chaunter the Canon and the Deane of Worcester whose vngentle and vntrue behauiour I haue not only knowen but expertly prooued and sensibly feeled in two of the first to my great losses whereof I make no complaynt But I woonder in my mynd and lament in my heart the straunge alteration and wilfull goyng backeward of myne old faithfull brother George Constantine the whiche knowing them all three to haue bene in tymes past eyther obstinate enemies to the true bearers of the Crosse of Christ or at the least priuye lurkers vnder pretence of fauour towardes the Gospell to sting the poore followers thereof seekyng but their owne lucre and pleasure in all their doinges would so earnestly cleaue vnto them in their wroÌ„g deeds as to betray me with his tong become vntrue of his promise and a bearer of filthy sinne for lucres sake euen yet stifly persisting in the same namely in thyngs manifestly known vnto many although he would deny it and that I might not be credited And as for their premunire both George and they at my first commyng vngeÌ„tly deteining from M. Ferlee hys commission for the Chauncellorship would haue faced mee downe with premunire because it was written in my owne name accordyng to the statute yet was I fayne for the zeale of vnitie not to see their vncurteous deedes departing with M. Farlee for the auoydyng of their malice and enuy and gaue that office for the aâ—â—tie of George vnto M. Chaunter his sonne in lawe and to D. Merike the office of Cardigan But seyng afterward their couetous respect to their own glory and lucre not regarding the reformation of sinne and specially of shameles whoredome I was compelled to remooue theÌ„